Tana Allen | May 19, 2014
6 Pro Tips to Survive Hair Growing Pains
Image by Maria Morri, via Creative Commons
A few months back you decided to go for that super cute short hair cut that looks fabulous on you. Now, for whatever reason, you want to grow your hair out, but the dreaded in-between stage is turning out to be more than you think you can bear. Well hang in there! And follow our pro tips for getting through your growing pains.
Pixie Bob Haircut Photo Courtesy of Refresh Design Studio
How to Survive Hair Growing Pains
- Mullet vs. Bob: Good news! On average, hair grows half an inch a month. Start by growing the length at the nape of your neck as it steers towards the mullet family, that’s when it’s time to grow the top out and eliminate some length at the neck. This will edge you towards a disheveled bob. From there, it’s a relatively quick path to shoulder-length hair.
- Experiment! During the in-between stage, your hair will inevitably reach a point where it looks funny. The solution? Accessories. Pins and bands are a casual and easy way to keep hair that is an awkward length out of your face. You would be amazed what you can do with a bobbypin! Use a French braid or fishtail to pull your bangs back while they are growing out.
- Make it Rich: Color can actually help accentuate the cut you are trying to get to, for instance, a rich brown color creates a more polished effect and camouflages uneven growing out layers.
- Evolution of Bangs: Transition your fringe into a side-swept look as hair grows out. Bangs can tend to be very heavy and carry a lot of weight, so as they get longer, ask your stylist to add texture by using thinning shears, point-cutting or other techniques to break up blunt fringe. When it starts to get so long that it’s not a bang anymore, you can erase them by blending them into layers around the face.
- Healthy Inside and Out: Taking in enough calories and eating a diet rich in B12, zinc and iron, as well as managing stress will make your hair grow faster and be stronger. Avoid excessive brushing and heat styling that can damage your hair. Intensive deep conditioning treatments will ward off damage and keep your hair and scalp healthy.
- The Long and Short: Get regular baby trims! Small trims keep your ends healthy. If you just let it go, your ends will split and the damage will carry up through the rest of your hair. Regular cuts keep your hair resistant to breakage.